Injuries, ineffectiveness, and plain old rest have gotten in the way of Joe Girardi fielding his best team in any given game in quite some time. That all comes to end tonight though, even if it’s just for one glorious game. No reserves, no injury subs, it’s just the best the team the Yankees can field, and I’m certainly not alone in saying it’s about time. This is the starting nine we’re going to see in the postseason, and frankly, I love it. Here, check it out…

I didn’t want to mention this yesterday, because I did not feel it was appropriate during the ceremony, but what the Steinbrenners have done to Monument Park is very sad.

It is hard to even put into words what they attempted to do by giving George a plaque that overshadows and sits over the legendary members of Yankee history. They have tried to take over Yankee history. They not only want George to be remembered as owning the Yankees, but as owning the great Yankee history and tradition. The Steinbrenners may own the team, but they do not own that.

It is a lie and an attempt to reconstruct history.

I hope younger Yankee fans continue to learn the entire history of this franchise. I hope they are not misled by this plaque when they walk in Monument Park for the first time.

If Yankee fans really want to be honest with themselves, he was not even the most important owner in this franchise’s history, let alone the most important figure as the size of the plaque portrays.

Guest

The Yankees were the Yankees well before George came on board. You are certainly correct in that, ZZ.

But the Yankees were moribound by the time George entered the picture. They were a shell of their former selves. And George came in and everything changed pretty damn quickly. While there were many losing seasons during his tenure/years in suspension induced exile (Did someone mention the early 90’s? Did that happen or was it just a bad dream played to a Vanilla Ice soundtrack? I’m going with a bad dream), he helped bring back winning.

More importantly, he turned the Yankees into a cash cow that will help to increase the chance of consistent prolonged winning. Mystique and Aura may have resided at Yankee Stadium before George, but George found a way to monetize them. He created the Yankee empire, and we, as Yankee fans, all benefit.

So while the others in monument park are clearly much more important figures in terms of the history of baseball and will hold much larger places in the hearts of the fans, I think the oversized plaque might actually accurately represent Big Stein’s impact on the power and future of the franchise.

ZZ

I agree that George was a huge figure in Yankee history and had a huge impact. But, this plaque overstates his impact in my opinion.

I don’t think many people realize, but the late 80s and early 90s were even worse than when George took over the team. It was one of the 2 or 3 worst times in the history of the franchise.

I am not saying this is you, but also many Yankee fans really don’t realize how bad the bad was with George.

Finally, while he was a great owner as you describe, I don’t think he was the most important.

If any owner in this team’s history is going to get a plaque that big, Jacob Ruppert deserves it.

That is when the Yankees as we know it were really created. Under Ruppert’s watch.

That’s what you get to do when your the Boss (or his family). It’s the house the George built. It’s definitely VERY big but i don’t think anyone is going to confuse an owner with players. They each have their own functions.

ZZ

Of course that is what you get to do.

It doesn’t mean it is right.

Dream of Electric Sheep

ZZ , I see your point. Cooperstown isn’t putting up an extra large plaque for GMS. The NY Yankees are just that and not the GMS Yankees. It’s not that big of deal if he has bigger monument in a stadium that he built.

Avi

I understand your purist view. It just doesn’t bother me though. In a way it says a lot about George and his personality. Egotistical,Headline hungering, having to always to be the center of attention and on the back pages etc

ZZ

A big part of George’s personality was also that he respected and loved the Yankee tradition as much as anyone.

His plaque swamps the people who created that.

thurdonpaul

That is an excellent point.

Poopy Pants

It doesn’t really matter when the Stadium is filled with rubes watching babied millionaires throwing, catching and hitting balls.
It’s really not important in the scope of real life.

Big Stein

5 feet by 7 feet, weighing 760 lbs.

I thought it would be a simple granite slab like the one for the players or for Jacob Ruppert, not a billboard.

ZZ

That is what I thought also. Very disappointing.

Thomas

I agree 100%. I thought by giving him such a large plaque, it is showing he is bigger than anyone else who has ever played/worked for the team. This is obviously a lie since you can ask any 5 year old American who Babe Ruth is and they likely know him, but I suspect few would know who Steinbrenner is.

MikeD

The Steinbrenners own the Yankees.

The Colonel, Jacob Ruppert, created the mythic Yankees as we would eventually know them, was instrumental in building the original Yankee Stadium, and his ownership of the Yankees changed the game forever.

The Boss, George M Steinbrenner, revived the mythic Yankees, was instrumental in building the Yankees new home, and his ownership of the Yankees and changed the game forever.

As I said at the top, the Steinbrenners own the Yankees. If George was my father, I’d erect a huge, bad-ass monument for him too.

It won’t bother me at all the next time I walk through Monument Park.

Dalelama

I agree, money can’t buy class.

hornblower

ZZ I’m with you. I always hoped to outlive the GS craziness. No disrespect to the family but the Yankees to me are Mantle, Joe D. etc. GS was just an owner.

I kinda wish Thames was starting tonight against Shields. I think the change would be less effective against him than against a LH Berkman. Just a hunch, though. Lance has been hot lately and that’s his better side, so it’s probably a wash

Dream of Electric Sheep

A lineup for sure. You could make a case for Thames over Berkman as Shield is generally more effective against LH (870 OPS vs 757 RH) this season. Perhaps tonight is the night for a big Puma fly.

She doesn’t speak English well, so she’d be a very poor sideline reporter.

Hire her at once.

Thomas

There is a website or a website post dedicated to getting Heidi Watney fired from the Red Sox claiming she fills neither of the two sideline report requirements: 1. being informative or 2. being attractive.

Wanted to leave work early today, didn’t have time available to do so.

Let’s kick some ass!

Carlosologist

Fun fact: The Yanks are the first team to reach 800 runs. Now imagine if we didn’t have that fail of a road trip. We’d be well on our way to 900 runs!

Avi

Imagine if Cashman didn’t sign Nick Johnson. And had a backup catcher and utility player that produced better than 20% the league average. We’d hit 1000 runs this year.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Imagine if Cashman didn’t sign Nick Johnson stayed healthy.

Avi

Bex, That would be like expecting ramiro pena to pop 40 dingers.
that was an AWFUL signing – one of MANY awful moves by Cashman. and im not monday-morning quaterbacking. I couldn’t believe they signed nick johnson.

An AWFUL signing was Jaret Wright. The Nick signing wasn’t awful because Nick Johnson had a good chance to play at a high level and contribute.

Kit

What “many” awful moves did Cash make? I get the argument for Javy even though I disagree wholeheartedly, but Nick just didn’t work out. As far as I’m concerned, with the exception of Javy and Austin (who is still a useful player in a bad slump), everyone picked up during the off season/trade deadline has been useful, so I don’t know where this “many” came from.

Slappy White

Chan Ho and Randy Winn sucked but other than that hes built a Deep And Thick roster

Kit

Whoa, completely forgot about Chan Ho Park. His existence was erased from my memory. And yeah, Winn did suck. But I don’t see those as “many”. Park was a decent pick up that didn’t work out.

Slappy White

I agree. I figured you forgot those two

Avi

Carl Pavano, jaret wright, kei igawa, letting Pettitte go after ’03 in favor of Kevin brown; Vazquez part one (trading for him over curt schilling and giving up MUCH more than the Red Sox did in the process), Vazquez the sequel, Randy Johnson’s two year extension, trading ted lilly for jeff weaver, AJ burnett just to name a few.
Cashman has a nearly UNLIMITED payroll from year to year and we don’t have even a quality third starter, never mind fourth.

Roy Halladay, Roy oswalt and cliff lee all change teams in the last nine months (Lee was traded TWICE) and we end up with VAZQUEZ!
Something is VERY wrong with that picture. That’s very poor judgment on Cashman’s part.

Cashman is paying out $20 MILLION to Vazquez, Nick (wheel chair) johnson, Chan ho park and Randy Winn this year.
I know Twelve-year old kids that could’ve spent that money more effectively!

Any VP, President, or CEO to make as many high cost mistakes as that would have been out of a job LONG ago.

ANYONE WHO THINKS BRIAN CASHMAN IS A SHREWD GM NEEDS THEIR HEAD EXAMINED!

Again I’m not Monday morning quarterbacking on ANY of these. These are all moves that put me in a terrible mood on the days that they were each made.

I’m sorry to state my opinion harshly. It’s the years of frustration watching this talking.
Thanks for listening.

Kit

Too long and I don’t care enough to read it. Cashman is actually one of the better GM’s in MLB, and if you don’t like his decisions, you can’t do anything about it but deal, like the rest of us. At least he tries to bring in good players.

Avi

Kit, I stongly disagree. By what measure is he one of the better GM in MLB? Other than trading for Swish where are the smart/shrewd moves in the last decade that show ANY creativity?
Cuz on top of the bad moves i just listed there are MANY more i could go through.
The fact the we can’t do anything about it makes it so frustrating. But what’s even more frustrating is this perception by most yankee fans that he’s a good GM. The media apparently also thinks so. He NEVER gets taken to task in the papers,radio or web for any of these terrible moves. At least if people would realize how inept he is there would be pressure for change.

Slappy White

But that NEVER happens

Avi

Meant Utility infielder – ramiro pena would make an EXCELLENT bat boy.
Not sure same could be said about cervelli. Maybe an effective parking lot assistant for frankie? He’s obviously in the wrong line of work.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Cervelli’s actually better than the league average in offense for catchers, while being a backup. He needs to work on his defense though.

Carlosologist

Pena and Cervelli aren’t supposed to be superstar everyday guys. They’re bench players. They exist to give the superstars some rest and for defense. That’s why we’ve all grown to expect very little out of our backup guys.

Since you’re the one you wants to claim they suck and Cashman’s a moron, no.

Do your legwork for your flawed argument yourself.

http://www.twitter.com/jordan_smed JGS

Shoppach has been worth 0.3 bWAR. The Rays don’t really have a comparable player to Pena, as Sean Rodriguez and Reid Brignac have both gotten way more playing time. The closest playing time comp they have is Kapler, who is at -0.5 bWAR

Slappy White

Dont you go again trying to confuse us with your fancy facts :)

Avi

Pena and Cervelli combined:
400 AB’s, ZERO homers, 50 Rbi’s and a VERY low BA, OBP and slugging line. didn’t do the math..
for a team that speant almost $3 mil on Randy winn and Chan ho (out of the) Park that’s INEXCUSABLE. Never mind the fact that the no hit catcher CAN’T THROW!! – sadly comical.
Only one way to explain such ineptitude: BRIAN CASHMAN

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Poll: Is “Avi” a male name?

http://www.twitter.com/jordan_smed JGS

Yes

Thomas

The author Avi is male, but I needed to check wiki and always though Avi was female.

A.) the 3M spent combined to get Park and Winn probably wouldn’t have bought a single backup catcher or backup shortstop better than Cervelli or Peña, because players better than them wouldn’t sign on to play only 30% of the time backing up a future HoF franchise cornerstone. The players better than Cervelli or Peña all went elsewhere to get legit starting chances.
B.) Ramiro Peña has 159 plate appearances this year. That’s 2.6% of the team total. No big whoop.
C.) Frankie Cervelli, as bad as he has been, is the 31st best catcher in all of baseball by WAR. Of all the big league backups, he’s probably the best.

Cervelli has played in more than HALF the yankees’ games this year. Being that he’s the “31st best catcher in baseball” this means we have WORSE than the WORST CATCER IN BASEBALL playing HALF our games.
Ha! leave it up to Cervelli to be worse than the worst.
Great job Cashman.
Didn’t realize cashman was a family member though Tommie – it’s nothing personal.
Just wondering: if there’s 30 teams in baseball how can you be “31st BEST” at anything?

Damn it would have been impressive for Berk to go out of the Stadium with a dead center shot.

CBean

I”m still at work so I’m on the at-bat and they were doing a live look-in. And they cut it out just as Berkman hits that ball. I was all AHHHHHHHH what happened to it and hoping for his first HR as a Yankee.

He’s still having an okay year and he’s got plenty of time to have many more good years. It’s not like he’s 30 and has stalled out.

Thomas

Alright Hughes.

Kit

Come on, offense, give Phil some help.

Kit

*more

Yo Quiero Montero (formerly LarryF)

wow Kit, you’re tough on Kit…

Kit

I’m tough on everyone. NO MERCY!

/unnecessary

cjc

what a god awful job by Hughes just terrible

Cy Pettitte

close one….can we add 10 more runs and make this an easy win please

http://theyankeeu.com Matt Imbrogno

I know Zobrist had a great year last year, so this year is technically a “down year” for him, but last year was the first time he had more than 227 PA. Isn’t it possible–probable?–that we don’t quite know what an up and down year is for him? I doubt he’s this “bad” but I also doubt he’s as good as 2009 showed.

Did that make sense?

Kevin in Delectable Princeton

Like you said, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

http://www.twitter.com/jordan_smed JGS

Career BABIP: .283
2010 BABIP: .281
2009 BABIP: .326

I tend to think of hitter BABIP as much more variable than pitcher, but every player finds their baseline eventually.

Nobody even called him out on it either. I never call in to talk radio, but I got on the phone. They weren’t taking calls (since the rest of the hour was booked for the Mark Sanchez/Andy Pettitte interviews).

Yo Quiero Montero (formerly LarryF)

I heard that and if that wasn’t the most juvenile comment by a “homer” announcer I’d like to hear what was.

It would be akin to saying that the Yankees would be hypocrites to want Nick Swisher to play well because we traded bad players to get him.

Asinine.

http://theyankeeu.com Matt Imbrogno

Yeah, I heard that. What was he saying? You can’t get mad at a guy for having character issues when you knew he had them when you got him. Ridiculous.

Yo Quiero Montero (formerly LarryF)

The momentum is slowly shifting back

/KayFlash’d

ZZ

Great change ups by Hughes tonight. Very encouraging start.

Pat D

Not really.

http://theyankeeu.com Matt Imbrogno

I think he means in terms of the changeups, not the results.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

He had no command at all. I love Hughes and I liked that he busted out the other pitches, but it’s hard to call this that encouraging.

ZZ

This is an incredibly encouraging start from a young pitcher. Hughes had no control at all tonight, yet so far he has limited the Rays to 2 runs. He had no control of his offspeed pitches, but he stuck with them, because he knows he needs to work with those pitches to be successful in the playoffs. He is tired tonight and instead of folding like many young pitchers, he battled through it and has pitched a solid game.

He learned from how some of the Rays got to him last start. He saw how Dan Johnson beat him and this start he made a huge adjustment. 3 great changeups in one at bat to Dan Johnson who beat him on mistake fastballs the last start out. Beautiful.

While Hughes establishing his changeup is a good thing going forward, for this start and the rest of this year, the more critical thing for the 2010 Yankees is not the establishment of his changeup/secondary pitches, it’s his ability to deal with fatigue and make it through 6 innings as a starter as he pitches above and beyond 146 innings for the first time in 4 years and 170 innings for the first time in his life.

For 2011, this start is great. For 2010, I’m much more concerned with how much gas Hughes has in the tank than with how effective his 4th pitch is, and thus this start is less than great.

ZZ

The changeup is not just for next year. It is for now.

The Rays hitters are so much more off balance than most lineups have been recently. They can’t sit on his fastball anymore.

The advanced scouts are scribbling down notes and they don’t know what to expect from Hughes now. His mixing of his pitches could pay huge dividends in the postseason.

Everytime I see a BrooksBaseball strikezone chart posted and available on the internet mere seconds after the pitch happens, I think of this FJM line:

If you could go back in time and take Nap Lajoie into a room after Rube Waddell K’d him on three pitches and show him a glowing box with a video replay of the at bat, he would call you a demon, slit your throat, tear out his eyes, and generally freak the fuck out. It’s a different game, these days.

Well, well now, it seems there is a bigger idiot out there than the Yankees Joe G, and it is Joe Maddon…How did all those loudmouth pants work out for ya Joema? Too busy coddling players, and creating road trip clothing to actually manage a team. Rays will fall, not because they can’t play, but because they have a worse manager than the Yankees. Keep using those graphs without common sense, and see how long that lasts, especially when the Rays already announced tonight they are slashing payroll even if they win the World Series…that will make them run to the game to watch…

For all complaining about Kay…at least you’ve been spared some Classic Sterling tonight. Nary an inning has gone by without him jumping a call…and I’m stuck with the radio until about 10:30.

MikeD

I’ve listened to Sterling for years, even pre his doing the Yankee games. He used to be a decent announcer. Now he really sucks. All he cares about his setting up his HR call so that it’s as clean as can be when it’s replayed. So even if he doesn’t think it’s going to go out, he has to startstaging the call just in case it is a HR. So anything that’s possible sounds like a HR. Listening to that on the radio is very, very annoying…and disappointing. I keep thinking the Yankees have a HR, only to have it pulled back.

Worse, he pays no attention to regular plays. A good announcer can pretty much tell the listner if a hit ball will be a hit right off the bat, or is slightly doubtful, just by varying the tone and tension of his voice. Sterling has none of this.

Sorry for stating the obvious, but I had to listen to him a few times in the last week as I was driving and it was clear he’s gotten worse.

Now back to the game.

swisher’s fauxhawk

Bleh. Knock him out next inning.

MikeD

So Shields tossed over 40 pitches in the first inning, and right now he’s only in the low 90s after five, throwing less pitches than Phil.

Annoying.

I’ll take the score, though.

cjc

93 pitches unreal

Dream of Electric Sheep

How to get 12 outs without Drob, Wood, Mo and Logan. Here we go…I am fully prepare to sweat it out the next 4 innings.

Dream of Electric Sheep

scratch that LOL, 9 outs …

ShuutoHeat (Don’t Trade GGBG Pl0x)

WTF was that lame ass attempt of a commercial for the Giants on My9?

cjc

5 runs 40+ pitches in the 1st and yet more economical than Hughes bad job lneup after the first

http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle

I was hoping this wouldn’t turn into one of those “settle down” games after that first inning. Especially since the Rays seem to be a late inning offensive team.

swisher’s fauxhawk

One more, Phil.

kcm

last thing we need is javy to warm up in the pen

http://theyankeeu.com Matt Imbrogno

One more pitch, then call it a night, Phil.

Wil Nieves #1 Fan

I hope you guys are DVR’ing this ESPN 30 for 30 piece on the Steinbrenner family. Very well done.

Same here. I think it’s more likely he will pitch better than Burnett given all things status quo.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

If AJ can show anything at all I think I’d prefer AJ

Kit

Agreed. But on the condition that he continues to look better/not a hot mess come October.

http://twitter.com/iiKeane JobaWockeeZ

That.

ZZ

Why?

http://twitter.com/iiKeane JobaWockeeZ

Because he won’t have to start in the ALDS and he hasn’t been inspiring in his past few starts save today.

ZZ

Why is avoiding starting him in the ALDS a positive?

Hughes sure has looked inspiring to me his past 2 starts against the second best team in baseball. Two great starts in different fashions.

http://twitter.com/iiKeane JobaWockeeZ

His only two starts have been mediocre against the Rays. And saving Hughes innings that he doesn’t have to pitch is a positive to me.

If Burnett and Hughes are both pitching meh to decent I’d rather go with Burnett.

ZZ

We will just have to disagree then, because I don’t think his two starts have been mediocre at all.

http://twitter.com/iiKeane JobaWockeeZ

Sure. His first start tough he pitched 6 IP and 3 ER tough with 6 runners on abse.

His other start he pitched 6.2 innings and let 6 runners on 4 hits.

He hasn’t been bad but this start now certainly is encouraging. And I have no memory of those two games so I don’t remember how his stuff has been and if he was unlucky so I can’t say for sure.

But if Hughes had no damn limits he’d definitely be my pick.

ZZ

I am very encouraged by his past two starts in terms of formulating that for postseason success.

He doesn’t have limits once the month changes.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Wow, that was awesome of Hughes.

Kit

C’mon, offense, more runs would be cool.

Hummingbird S.

Wheres the O?

http://theyankeeu.com Matt Imbrogno

Right there!

Cy Pettitte

Albie and Joba should be able to get 9 outs between them

http://twitter.com/stophamm3rtime Dela G

Hip HiP!!!

Kit

Yeah, Jorge. Bring him in, Puma.

swisher’s fauxhawk

Puma getting respect.

http://twitter.com/stophamm3rtime Dela G

hmm, bringing in a lefty to face the guy shields has pwned his career?

kcm

Hughes will only continue to get stronger through his career. He’s got the stamina, guts and attitude to become a strong 3 or 4 starter. Just gotta mix up his pitches more. I love his change-up and the 12-6 curve. If he’s slated to start a game 3 or 4 in a series, and if he’s got all of his pitches working and effectively, then goodnight Texas or Minnesota.

unfortunately gardner has only one blemish on his talents, that’s bunting. he’d be a legit .310 hitter if he knew how to bunt.

If he bunted better, those bunts wouldn’t count towards his batting average, meaning the effect on his BA would be minimal. If bunting better made him a .310 hitter, that means he’s probably basically a .310 hitter regardless of his bunting ability, and if he’s a .310 hitter regardless of his bunting ability, I want him trying to hit every time up and not bunting ever.

I want Ramiro Peña and Frankie Cervelli to be ace bunters, because they’re not good hitters. Brett Gardner is a good hitter, he shouldn’t bunt.

Predictable. And now its a HR hitter against HR Javy. This lead might not last long.

Hummingbird S.

Thankfully I was wrong. Still, lets not go to that matchup ever again

kcm

because of 2004 game 7 alcs and all of 2010. disgrace

FIPster Doofus

Fail.

Kit

Let. it. go. It was a mistake pitch to a good hitter and he wasn’t the one who loaded the bases. This year is an entirely different story. But let it go for the sake of everyone who really thinks 2004 was just unfortunate and Boston will never be as good as the Yankees as a franchise and has learned to move on.

Am I the only one who has noticed that Yankees pitchers have been 3-2 to every stinking hitter tonight?

Kit

Well, you had Phil Hughes who sort of lacked control/has a billion pitches fouled off of him, and then you had Javy who has a “Nothing ball”, and then an unlucky Joba. Not exactly pitchers who are lights out.

At this rate, the Yankees might clinch before the Sox show up in town.

Just thinking positive thoughts.

Carlosologist

WE.
WILL.
CLINCH.
THURSDAY.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Nicely done, boys.

MikeD

Let’s take the next two!

FIPster Doofus

So the Rays are guaranteed to leave the Bronx in second place. Excellent.

http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Not to tempt fate, but because I think that magic number picture will change soon: just lovely. :3

Dream of Electric Sheep

A very satisfying win consider what I seen from Hughes tonight.
I will take a split in the next two games.

Jon

We won the first two, theres no way you should be thinking lets split it. All or nothing baby!

ZZ

Great game all around.

Great game from Hughes, great job by the offense, great job by Joba, and great job by Girardi.

Nothing for Yankee fans to complain about tonight.

Slappy White

Pic us out a good pic of the Bambino. Looks like Magic number 3 in a few….if ole Paps can ever get Os out

http://twitter.com/stophamm3rtime Dela G

oh this is grrrrrrrrrreat! Paps can’t get anyone out

tom

It’s almost like The Red Sox would rather be officially dead before they get to NY Friday, so they won’t have to experience the loss in person.

Kit

Red Sox lose. Great night all around.

Kit

Oops. I was wrong. Fail. I thought they were playing in Baltimore. Sorry.

http://ballcraft.blogspot.com Zanath

They’re going to lose, though.

Kit

Probably. I just didn’t want to misinform anyone who is tracking the game on their phone.

http://ballcraft.blogspot.com Zanath

Missed all of this game except the end. Sounds like a real fantastic game all around (though the 8th sounded a bit scary). And good to see the Sawx getting beaten up.

Saw the movie “The Town,” btw. Real great movie.

steve (different one)

The problem with pulling Joba is that there is no “safety net” tonight. It would be one thing to have a 5 run lead and Mo or Wood available.

If Albaladejo comes in and starts getting knocked around, who comes on to clean up?? Romulo Sanchez??

They were short in the pen, the Rays had the heart of the order coming up, and this is still a semi-important game. It’s a little staggering to see Girardi ripped for not going to a ?? like Jon Albaladejo.

Graig not Craig

I’m with you. There will be opportunities for Albie and Romulo – just not tonight.

Kit

…Who is ripping him? Some of us were saying we would like to see him, not that Joba being there was OMG, THE WORST THING EVER. It was a good lead for someone who is used to closing, so some of us thought that would be his spot for him. That’s it. No one is ripping Joe at all. There is really very little, if anything at all, to complain about in this game.

steve (different one)

We win. Joe G pitching Joba makes no sense.

Sigh

Does that qualify? I think it does.

But whatevs.

Kit

That’s one person, and as you may or may not have noticed, not everyone is insightful/understanding of why things are done the way they are. That’s their opinion, and if you think that’s “ripping” then you are really sensitive.

steve (different one)

You are right, I didn’t notice the several comments “lightly criticizing” Girardi were all from the same person.

MikeD

The Buck-driven Orioles keep powering along. The A.L. East next year is going to be sick.

MikeD

Papel-bomb’s ERA is now 3.92. Not a good year for the man who thinks he’s Rivera.

http://twitter.com/stophamm3rtime Dela G

remember when he proclaimed that he should close over rivera in the all star game a few years back?

good shit

http://www.twitter.com/jordan_smed JGS

They asked him who he would pick to close, and he said himself. That’s not really the same thing.

MikeD

It’s the same.

http://twitter.com/stophamm3rtime Dela G

lol thats exactly the same thing

Carlosologist

Papelbon’s idea was even more batshit insane because:

A) It was in 2008
B) It was on our turf

Reggie C.

It just gets easier for Theo to cut Papelbon loose. He’ll offer arbitration and Papelbon will turn it down. I’m just wondering if this guy is a Type-A free agent.

http://www.twitter.com/jordan_smed JGS

He can’t turn it down, he can only make a counter-offer. He isn’t a free agent yet.

MikeJ

I know it will be 3 soon, but the Iron Horse needs his time in the Magic Number box! :)

MikeD

Did ol’ Biscuit Pants make it up, even for a few minutes?

http://ballcraft.blogspot.com Zanath

Here comes the Babe!

Kit

Yay!!!

Pat D

I want to punch Mitch Williams right now.

I mean, I want to punch Mitch Williams all the time, but now I just really want to punch him. Repeatedly. Until he bleeds.

Jon in CUO

What’s he saying?

Pat D

He was saying something about the Yankees starters having to deal with the Twins lineup, Delmon Young in particular. OBP doesn’t matter to him, apparently.

And then I’m 99% sure he mentioned that Pavano pitched well against the Yankees this year.

Oh, and of course he’s marveling about the Phillies not having Rollins right now.

Carlosologist

Pavano didn’t pitch against us this season lol

Pat D

Yep. You are correct, sir.

And, really, the Twins only have 5 players with OBP’s of at least .340 and one of them may not play again.

Carlosologist

The Minnesota Twins are the AL Central champs. And there wasn’t a 163rd game to decide it!

Pat D

Well, not yet, but once the White Sux lose…

Carlosologist

You can kind of tell that the White Sox have nothing.

We’ll be celebrating on Thursday, so don’t worry about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUvg7Empjfg Captain Jack

Not related to the game but ESPN’s 30 for 30 on the Boss was downright amazing.

MikeD

When do they rerun these things on ESPN?

They had one on Mariano earlier this year that I missed. I’ve never seen it pop up again.

I’m used to YES or the MLB Network where everything is repeated like a bijillion times.

icebird753

This isn’t related either, but there’s no thread…its a shame that Hamilton gets hurt all the time, if it weren’t for the drugs and crap in his life, imagine how great he would’ve been. I think we are only seeing a player without his full potential, as it has been slightly sapped from him over the years. He’s still great, but would’ve been otherworldly if he had a healthy, clean/sober career.

http://twitter.com/firstheart42 seimiya

Posada was a PINCH RUNNER when his career started – who knows how many bases he could have stolen if he wasn’t an everyday catcher?